A-Level maths · Years 12 and 13
A-Level Maths exam boards compared: AQA, Edexcel and OCR
How many papers, what is on each one, calculators and the large data set, for AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR A and OCR B (MEI).
By The Tutors Room · Updated 3 October 2026 · 4 min read
In short
Every A-Level Maths board sets three two-hour papers covering pure maths, mechanics and statistics. The difference is how that content is split across the papers. Edexcel has two pure-only papers and puts all the statistics and mechanics in Paper 3. AQA and OCR A have one pure-only paper and mix pure maths into the other two. OCR's MEI course has a shorter third paper with an unseen comprehension passage.
The papers at a glance
| AQA (7357)AQA: A-Level Mathematics 7357 specification | 3 papers · 2 hours · 100 marks each |
|---|---|
| Pearson Edexcel (9MA0)Pearson Edexcel: A-Level Mathematics 9MA0 specification | 3 papers · 2 hours · 100 marks each |
| OCR A (H240)OCR: A-Level Mathematics A H240 specification | 3 papers · 2 hours · 100 marks each |
| OCR B, MEI (H640)OCR: A-Level Mathematics B (MEI) H640 specification | 3 papers · 2 hours · 100, 100 and 75 marks |
What is on each paper
- AQA. Paper 1 is pure maths. Paper 2 can use any pure content, plus vectors and mechanics. Paper 3 can use any pure content, plus statistics.AQA: A-Level Mathematics 7357 specification
- Pearson Edexcel. Papers 1 and 2 are both pure maths, and any pure topic can appear on either. Paper 3 is statistics in Section A and mechanics in Section B.Pearson Edexcel: A-Level Mathematics 9MA0 specification
- OCR A. Paper 1 is pure maths. Paper 2 is pure maths and statistics. Paper 3 is pure maths and mechanics. Papers 2 and 3 have two sections of about 50 marks each.OCR: A-Level Mathematics A H240 specification
- OCR B (MEI). Paper 1 is pure maths and mechanics, Paper 2 is pure maths and statistics, and each is worth 36.4%. Paper 3 is pure maths and comprehension, worth 27.3%, with 15 marks on a previously unseen passage.OCR: Mathematics B (MEI) at a glance
Calculators and the large data set
- Calculators are used in every paper. AQA says a calculator is required for all assessments. Edexcel says students may use one in all its A-Level Maths exams, and OCR A permits a scientific or graphical calculator for all papers.AQA: A-Level Mathematics 7357 specification
- What the calculator cannot do. Edexcel does not allow calculators with symbolic algebra, differentiation or integration.Pearson Edexcel: A-Level Mathematics 9MA0 specification
- The large data set. Each board gives students a large data set to work with during the course, and some statistics questions are set in its context. OCR notes that students do not have a printout of it in the exam.OCR: A-Level Mathematics A H240 specification
Results in 2026
| Students who sat A-Level Maths, UKJCQ: A-Level results 2026, table 1 | 115,380 |
|---|---|
| Grades at A*JCQ: A-Level results 2026, table 1 | 17.7% |
| Grades at A* or AJCQ: A-Level results 2026, table 1 | 42.5% |
| Grades at A* to CJCQ: A-Level results 2026, table 1 | 78.2% |
| Grades at A* to EJCQ: A-Level results 2026, table 1 | 96.4% |
Summer 2026, all boards together. JCQ describes the figures as provisional.
What this means for revision and tutoring
- Past papers must be your board's. The content is shared, but the way it is arranged across the papers is not, so timed practice only makes sense on the right board's papers.
- Edexcel students can plan two pure papers. Statistics and mechanics are kept to Paper 3, half each.
- AQA and OCR A students should expect pure maths in every paper. Mechanics and statistics questions sit beside pure questions in Papers 2 and 3.
We teach AQA, Edexcel and OCR: thetutorsroom.com/services/a-levels
Sources
Specifications checked on 3 October 2026. Results are for summer 2026.